All worked examples below use explicitly chosen inputs. They are not measured household averages, utility quotes, or guaranteed savings.
Define an equivalent cooking task
Choose the same amount of food and a suitable finished result. A small air-fryer basket might need multiple sessions for a meal that fits in one oven load. Record the total energy or total operating time for the task.
A meter reading for the complete session avoids guessing when a thermostat turns a heating element off. Only use measurement equipment suitable for the appliance and installation.
Reference: Virginia Cooperative Extension: estimating appliance energy use
Work through two illustrative sessions
Suppose an air fryer averages 1,050 W over 30 minutes, including its heating cycles. It uses 0.525 kWh and costs $0.105 at 20¢/kWh. Suppose an electric oven averages 1,200 W for one hour, using 1.2 kWh and costing $0.24.
Those chosen sessions differ by $0.135 before rounding. Repeating each meal scenario 20 times costs $2.10 versus $4.80, a $2.70 difference. This is not a measured claim about all air fryers or ovens.
Check whether extra batches erase the difference
If the example air-fryer session must be repeated three times, total energy is 1.575 kWh, costing $0.315. That exceeds the example oven’s $0.24. Two sessions total 1.05 kWh and $0.21.
The lesson is to compare the full task rather than a single appliance label. Preheating once for several oven dishes may also differ from running separate meals.
| 30-minute sessions | Total kWh | Cost, rounded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.525 | $0.11 |
| 2 | 1.050 | $0.21 |
| 3 | 1.575 | $0.32 |
Keep purchase cost and gas separate
This comparison prices electricity only. It does not include the purchase price, replacement costs, cooking quality, or the gas used by a gas oven. If you buy a new appliance to save energy, divide the extra purchase cost by realistic annual savings and consider whether that payback is useful to you.
Sources & calculation notes
References checked 2026-10-09. Example arithmetic is calculated by HomeWattCheck. Article review dates are separate from the EIA data period displayed in our calculators.
Each calculator states its scope beside the result. Appliance tools estimate electricity at one rate; the time-of-use comparator includes two price periods and entered fixed fees. Complex tariffs may need additional calculations. State averages describe reported residential revenue per kWh, not your utility’s offer. See our data sources and methodology or state rate comparison.